en-us http://www.intensedebate.com/users/81161 Comments by FarrisGoldstein http://hijinksensue.com/2012/01/14/outnumbered-2-35-to-1/#IDComment266080168 Most things in this category are now case-by-case for me, based on a sort of Pareto/80-20 rule of opposable digits. If you're still trying to get the picture right and Marty's already being chased out of the mall parking lot by the Libyans, just put the remote down and watch. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:04:09 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2012/01/14/outnumbered-2-35-to-1/#IDComment266080168 http://chainsawsuit.com/2012/01/09/things-i-would-like-intensedebate-to-do/#IDComment259791378 Holy Christ, I feel your pain. I've been trying to get ID to help, but they keep sending me boilerplate asking me if I have the plugin enabled. IP address wildcards, CIDR notation... either of these would be fine. WTF? Mon, 9 Jan 2012 21:00:31 +0000 http://chainsawsuit.com/2012/01/09/things-i-would-like-intensedebate-to-do/#IDComment259791378 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/12/16/unhitched/#IDComment240264929 At the risk of overusing the phrase "at the risk of": That's one of the nicest things anybody has said to me in a long time. Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:28:42 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/12/16/unhitched/#IDComment240264929 http://gentlenews.com/2011/12/17/christopher-hitchens-a-confession/#IDComment240244972 That wouldn't be very Christopherlike. Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:49:05 +0000 http://gentlenews.com/2011/12/17/christopher-hitchens-a-confession/#IDComment240244972 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/12/16/unhitched/#IDComment240186996 Christopher Hitchens was (and will forever be), beyond a great hero of mine, a very convenient crutch in a world of intelligent, well-meaning, and otherwise pleasant cow-orkers who, upon learning of my atheism, seek to "debate" with me over how untenable such a worldview is. After it becomes apparent that neither side is more open to re-evaluating a truth than the other, I often drop a copy of a Hitch book, essay, or article on their desk (or in their inbox) with a quick note along the lines of "Hey, it was fun, but this should explain why I'm really not interested in continuing this conversation." Most of the time, they will send me a rebuttal such as "I see. I understand how someone such as yourself would be attracted to such a poorly-reasoned argument as Hitchens's, but the evidence clearly indicates that he bases his conclusions more on emotion than fact." I get a good chuckle at that, refrain from taking the bait, and go on caring a lot less about who approves of my "worldview" than these fine folks do. Hitch just makes it very easy to find an eloquent way to end a discussion, which is much different than trying to win one. I know I didn't change the other guy's mind, and I most likely didn't even make him think twice about his position, but I do feel better having not fallen into the trap of getting upset over it beyond my capacity to hold my own intellectual ground. And most of them do exactly the same thing for themselves with the writings of William Lane Craig. At the risk of sounding snotty (and feel free to chastise me if I indeed do): (A) Which of those two men is more entertaining to read or listen to? And (B) which name is better known? Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:51:37 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/12/16/unhitched/#IDComment240186996 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/12/09/the-unforgivable/#IDComment236423368 My favorite quip so far, from Chuck Klosterman: "If the Red Hot Chili Peppers acoustically covered the 12 worst Primus songs for Starbucks, it would still be (slightly) better than this." Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:41:04 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/12/09/the-unforgivable/#IDComment236423368 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/11/29/house-of-swine-and-frog/#IDComment231232193 Yep... Especially odd in my dad's case, since he was always VERY fond of the sham/real gag. Thu, 1 Dec 2011 19:35:12 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/11/29/house-of-swine-and-frog/#IDComment231232193 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/11/29/house-of-swine-and-frog/#IDComment231118176 ***A FEW SPOILERS BELOW*** I'll admit, the Whitmire's Kermit has finally become Kermit in *character*. The voice is still not there, but it can't ever be. I think a lot of people are saying that he finally "sounds like Kermit" because they've heard him doing it for over 2 decades now. If there had been just a touch of Bean Bunny in this flick, I could be persuaded to jump across that thin line and call his Kermit perfect. I'm also not too quick to discount the negative opinions of Oz and a few other Henson alumni as you have with the "Jim would have loved this, you crotchety old douchenut!" I kinda think that those guys would know better what Jim would have liked and disliked. For what it's worth, the curmudgeons (my father included) are sort of right when they say that BLATANT flatulence jokes would never have really flown while Jim was at the reigns. It was, predictably, the one thing my dad did not love about the movie. What I think is important, and what I think you realized as well, is that this was not just a fart-joke-for-fart-joke's-sake fart joke. There was no actual flatulence presented onscreen. It was whoopee cushions, duh. Secondly, each time the Fozz presented the joke, it was dismissed by his superiors as "not our thing" or with a "not now, Fozzie". That last one is important: Who said "not now, Fozzie"? Rowlf, arguably the character most Hensonesque in the bunch. So all the nostalgic old farts who refuse to see the flick because of the "fart jokes" are not only cheating themselves out of a great Muppet movie, they're missing out on an on-screen nod to the very mindset that leads them to think farts and Muppets don't mix. And the rest of us, who love fart jokes, get fart jokes ON TOP OF ALL THAT MORAL METANOSTALGIA. I also miss Jerry Nelson quite a bit, but seeing Uncle Deadly put to very good (and hilarious) use is a good salve. I'm sure Googling would turn up some Oz-like disdain of Nelson's for the new flick, so I'll refrain. This was as perfect a Muppet movie as could be made in 2011. Just don't get me started on the "Kermit never married Piggy" issue... Thu, 1 Dec 2011 16:14:53 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/11/29/house-of-swine-and-frog/#IDComment231118176 http://chainsawsuit.com/2011/09/07/more-fun-with-george-lucas/#IDComment190745907 Film Noir Deckard narration added to Blade Runner so we know how he is feeling... wait... Wed, 7 Sep 2011 16:23:30 +0000 http://chainsawsuit.com/2011/09/07/more-fun-with-george-lucas/#IDComment190745907 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/05/19/in-loving-memory/#IDComment154189191 "BW & DG" in a heart shape or maybe a bear paw? Fri, 20 May 2011 01:01:19 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/05/19/in-loving-memory/#IDComment154189191 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/25/persistence-of-motion/#IDComment131108659 I was late to the party here, and in fact I think I remember giving you Joshesque shit about the show back in 2001ish. But around 2002 I got hooked, probably around the time Reeve guest starred. I haven't even tried to hide the track marks since then. I love the show, even though I despise it and wish to see it burn in blackest hell. It's probably the music that keeps me. Even though that's terrible, too. It's certainly not the damn suit. I know this is unoriginal, but Kal Emo better start fucking flying like a pro before this is over. Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:05:31 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/25/persistence-of-motion/#IDComment131108659 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/23/urban-renewal/#IDComment130329883 I once opened for a Tower Of Power cover band called "Urban Renewal". You'll have to excuse me, I cut my left thumb cooking yesterday and that's the finger that hits the keys that make my comments relevant and/or interesting. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:05:19 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/23/urban-renewal/#IDComment130329883 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/15/culturally-biased/#IDComment128394448 "Anything you put in my mouth, you're going to lose." Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:07:13 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/15/culturally-biased/#IDComment128394448 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/15/culturally-biased/#IDComment128390375 Joel: I have been worried lately that I'm stuck in a computer simulation of my own design. Now that I know it's actually YOUR brain I'm stuck in, I am even more terrified. This is not over! Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:44:38 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2011/02/15/culturally-biased/#IDComment128390375 http://hijinksensue.com/2010/08/10/under-the-bridge-downtown-pt-1/#IDComment92121798 I have at least one uhaulload of servers, switches, peripherals, and Commander Keen floppies. Let's setup a table and have a makeshift FBcon. Record a podcast. Maybe accidentally get murdered by some hobos. We could donate 2% to a worthy charity. Like the Irish Rite For Getting This Shit Out Of Farris's Garage and Office Children's Hospital and Midget Barber Shop. I am definitely kidding. Not. Definitely. Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:09:23 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2010/08/10/under-the-bridge-downtown-pt-1/#IDComment92121798 http://hijinksensue.com/2010/05/26/just-when-i-thought-i-was-out/#IDComment77251419 I think JW's still not ready for the good Doctor. Wed, 26 May 2010 22:39:31 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2010/05/26/just-when-i-thought-i-was-out/#IDComment77251419 http://hijinksensue.com/2010/05/24/the-glorious-hole/#IDComment76954314 If they weren't thinking TWoK when they wrote and shot that, then they have absolutely no right to be writing and shooting things in this century. I opened my mouth to say it when it happened, but closed it before I did, because, like... I didn't want to be the guy who points out the obvious reference. Like I was about an hour+ earlier when I said, "Ha! Star Wars! Hurley likes Star Wars! GET IT?!?" Mon, 24 May 2010 21:49:49 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2010/05/24/the-glorious-hole/#IDComment76954314 http://gentlenews.com/2009/11/11/keeping-your-wip-to-yourself/#IDComment57996088 Better late than never: Balancing acts are not my forte either. Middle ground has always been something that either comes naturally or isn't possible. I have yet to find a way to effectively seek middle ground in situations where doing so requires a lot of hard work. Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:55:42 +0000 http://gentlenews.com/2009/11/11/keeping-your-wip-to-yourself/#IDComment57996088 http://hijinksensue.com/2009/09/18/cause-im-leaving-on-a-red-train/#IDComment35086310 I want a Tunnel of Lovegood. You get to make out with a park-employed Evanna Lynch lookalike. If you'd prefer s/he had a mustache, they've got you covered, too. Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:54:55 +0000 http://hijinksensue.com/2009/09/18/cause-im-leaving-on-a-red-train/#IDComment35086310 http://gentlenews.com/2009/08/30/basics-of-motivation-concern-vs-interest/#IDComment32702480 I'd feel at least a tad angry, too, especially if you used that double-negative, whether intentional or not. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:36:09 +0000 http://gentlenews.com/2009/08/30/basics-of-motivation-concern-vs-interest/#IDComment32702480